Extra Info:
I found it impossible to pick the best of the year so I went with the best of the past week, this candid shot taken on December 30, 2009, of a little girl standing in a doorway of her mother's shop in Belize City, Belize. I was drawn to the way the fan seemed to present (in a dramatic yet understated and very subtle manner) as an extension of this child's eyebrows and eyelashes, and how it helped direct attention to her eyes.

19 comments on this entry

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dodrizztJan 14, 2010

Many congrats Jade!! sorry this time no points from me, too many to choose, also little time to comment as usual (the work is killing me these days)... but this was very close to my TT, a nice portrait for sure, well done!!

andrew.cooper71Jan 13, 2010

The more you look at this little girl is the more you are compelled to keep looking..... Captured such an honest, innocence..... beautiful shot.

LindyBJan 12, 2010

Congratulations Jade! This lovely portrait did eventually make it into my TT!

wrosenthalJan 11, 2010

Congratulations on the nice finish. Responding to your note on my shot, it's the people's choice, so I have no quarrel with the outcome. I am surprised, however, that almost all my choices (votes) in the open category were nowhere near the top. Clearly people are looking at different things in making their judgments. I can not help with the High Dynamic setting on the FZ38 and how it compares to the FZ30. I just experiment by shooting the same subject with as many different settings as I can and look at the results. On the 38, the EVF gives a pretty good rendering of what the setting changes look like. Cheers.

elliottJan 11, 2010

i'm going through these and finding that i must still be making comments and forgetting to post them or something. i put this in at number one so i'm sure i would have said something. well anyway, i didn't even notice the fan till you mentioned it. great shot. el

Jade O.Jan 11, 2010

Again thank you and especially so for the votes from those whose work I so much admire.

Comments After End of ChallengeComments During Voting

AmberbugJan 11, 2010

Beautiful portrait, exposure etc. I would had cropped out some of the wall since it is not all needed, the eyes seal the picture., in my top 10. I don't agree with you about the fan, but it probably couldn't be eliminated.Edited on Jan 11, 2010

Jade O.Jan 11, 2010

Thank you each for your comments, they are very much appreciated.

My thoughts on the fan - I thought it distinctive for the reasons set out in the extra info. I remain of two minds on whether it adds more to "candid" or detracts more overall from the subject, so I appreciate your comments there.

My thoughts on the crumb(s) - much the same. To take the one out of the cheek might have been a good idea but then there are the lips and where does one stop in PP?

My thoughts on the sharpening - there is none, but there are the after effects of cloning out the plastic lawn chair which because this was done in a hurry, left a bit of halo on the arm - there is also a slight smear where I crossed the line. magich, I appreciate your sharp eye and wish you were in these Challenges regularly for your images and your commentary. Edited on Jan 11, 2010

aprilesoleJan 10, 2010

Excellent portrait of such a beautiful child. TT~! GL

UnaJan 10, 2010

I am so sorry this was in my Top 17, then I had to sort it out. What a pity.

LoJan 10, 2010

When I first saw the photo, I thought she was wearing a lacy hat or head dress. I think the crumbs on her face detract a bit from an otherwise beautiful photo.

MepoJan 10, 2010

Beautiful photo of a beautiful young girl. I like the way you have left the empty space on the righ - nice composition. I find the fan to be a big distraction for me as it draws me away from the girl - wish I could see it your way.

LaReeJan 9, 2010

A beautiful portrait of a beautiful child. I would have been hard pressed to not clone out the crumb on her cheek, but that comes from fixing my own kids smudged face in post. ;-)

audiredredJan 9, 2010

Beautiful candid shot...tt

Old FinnJan 9, 2010

I personally would have cropped some of the empty space off. Anyway, a good portrait. In my TT.Happy New Year!

LindyBJan 9, 2010

A very good candid shot of a beautiful child!

SteveBeeJan 8, 2010

Very nice. One of my favorites. I appreciate the offcenter position of the subject and the negative space for her to gaze into.

magichJan 8, 2010

You captured the right moment.Very well exposed and framed.Unfortunately that grey wall isn't the best as a background.It seems also too much sharpened for a portrait and with wrong radius and threshold. Look at the halo between the arm and the wall. Or is it a cloning out effect?Anyway, in my TT.Edited on Jan 8, 2010